2
"This is most unusual," a rough, heavy-set Scottish woman said. "She looks like she has been through hell and back—not unlike we all did a few months ago, but worse."
Another woman, with a much softer and kinder voice, replied, "Yes. She shows signs of malnutrition, healed broken bones, and fatigue, but otherwise, she is as healthy as she can be. A few rounds of nutrition potions, healthy meals, proper washing, and rest will set her right."
"What else does your diagnosis indicate, Poppy?" the first woman asked, her tone leaving no room for evasion.
"Minerva," Poppy replied softly, "she appears to be in her late thirties. She had a child sometime between fifteen to seventeen years ago. And the ring on her finger indicates she is or was married."
Minerva was silent momentarily before gently responding, "Poppy, I am struggling to believe my eyes, but does she look like someone who has been long dead? Dare I say—"
Lily moaned as the pain in her head spiked. Bleary, she opened her eyes to see an unfamiliar white ceiling and tall windows. Turning her head, she saw two older women standing beside her bed. She frowned, blinked, and strained to sit up. "Ow… where am I?" she asked softly.
Poppy squeaked, rushed to her side, and pushed a potion vial toward her. "Here, drink this. It should help with the pain."
Lily took the potion and held it to her nose, sniffing it. She recognized it as a high-quality pain potion. It had been so long since she had anything of such quality, having had to make do with low-grade potions while on the run for so long. She drank it and grimaced at the taste. It was strong, but there was a signature flavor she thought she would never taste again—a hint of licorice in the pain potion. This ingredient was never in the standard recipe; her husband had added it, citing its anti-inflammatory properties and benefits for young women, especially during their monthly cycles. A tear spilled from the corner of her eye as she closed them, remembering her beloved.
"Oh dear, what is it?" Poppy asked, holding a glass of water.
Lily shook her head, returned the empty vial, and took the glass. "Just remembering the taste. It's been so long since I tasted licorice in a potion." She looked up and took in the two women before her, swallowing hard.
The tall, stately woman at the end of her bed was dressed in a tartan robe and a tall hat. She looked prim and stern, much like the one Lily remembered. Minerva McGonagall was a formidable woman with a brilliant strategic mind. She had been killed in a skirmish years ago, and Lily missed her terribly. Looking up at her with admiration, she felt a wave of nostalgia.
The other woman, shorter and slightly rounder, wore a neat mediwitch gown and looked on kindly. Lily remembered Madame Pomfrey, the resistance's healer. She recalled that when she was younger, Madame Pomfrey had been kidnapped and then killed. It was surprising and strange to see the two women she cared deeply about standing before her, alive and older.
Minerva raised a sharp eyebrow. "If you please, who are you and how did you get into Hogwarts?"
Lily blinked. Hogwarts? She turned her head to take in the grand, cavernous room of the Hospital Wing. It was bright, clean, and orderly, with no overgrowth of plants anywhere. She and James had passed through the hospital wing, hoping to find something salvageable before—before he died, and she was transported to this strange world. She swallowed again.
"It may sound strange," Lily started quietly, holding the glass tighter. She took a sip and closed her eyes momentarily; the water was clean and crisp. It had been so long since she had tasted clean water. "My name is Lily."
"Impossible," Poppy murmured, her eyes wide.
Minerva stepped closer. "That can't be." She reached over and lifted Lily's face to examine her more closely. The intense emerald green eyes were the same as Minerva remembered, but they looked weary and sad. "Lily Evans?"
Lily nodded. "That was my name years ago. I go by Lily Snape."
"Oh dear," Poppy said, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Lily Snape died eighteen years ago—" Minerva began, then quietly added, "as of yesterday."
Lily shook her head. "I am not her, well," she stumbled over her words, "I am here, but I’m not from this world." The two older women exchanged surprised glances. Minerva gestured for her to continue. "I came from another universe where there was nothing left. I think I am the last one. Dumbledore told us about the mirror in Hogwarts, and it transported me to this world."
Minerva clasped her hands before her and pursed her lips, peering over her half-moon spectacles. "All right, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure you want to clean up and eat something. But once you finish, you will come to my office, and we will talk more." She turned to Poppy. "And let’s keep this quiet until we figure it out. We can’t have anyone seeing her here and asking questions."
"Yes, Minerva," Poppy replied.
Minerva patted Lily's leg on the bed and turned, walking out of the Hospital Wing with dignified grace. Poppy turned back to Lily. "Come on, dear. Would you like to wash up or have a meal first?"
"Wash, please," Lily said as she got out of bed and followed the healer.
—------------------------------
Lily sat in a grand circular office guarded by a stone griffin. The walls were adorned with books, knick-knacks, and twirling ornaments overhead, creating an amazing sight. High on the walls hung many portraits of people who moved around, looking at her with interest. A large desk stood before her. As she turned her head to take in her surroundings, her eyes landed on a strange old hat sitting on a mantle; it appeared to have a face in its folds. Suddenly, it shifted, and the face moved. She gasped.
Madame Pomfrey had kindly allowed her a long hot bath and provided her with a hearty meal from the kitchen. She was given clean clothes that fit her comfortably. Then, Lily was taken through Hogwarts to the office. The hallways were unlike anything she had seen before. In this world, Hogwarts was not abandoned and dilapidated but in full glory; portraits decorated the walls, and each contained people moving about as if they were in their world on the other side of the painting. Suits of armor lined the hallways, shining brightly, while vivid draperies told tales with their moving images. It was all fascinating.
Teenage children hurried about in school uniforms, going to and fro from room to room. Ghosts floated through floors and walls, and the castle hummed with magic and life. It was bright, and it felt like a sanctuary.
“It had been a rough year last year,” Poppy explained as they walked. “But we were able to restore Hogwarts so soon after the battle and open the school for the children in time for the new term.”
“Battle?” Lily asked, puzzled.
Poppy looked at her and realized her mistake. “I’m sorry. You have no idea what happened here. Last May, the Dark Lord brought war to Hogwarts, and it was a terrible battle,” she said, frowning. “Children fought for their lives. But thankfully, he was defeated.”
Lily frowned. “Dark Lord? Who?”
“Tom Riddle. But Harry Potter was able to stop him.”
Lily blinked in confusion. Harry Potter? Who was he? Was Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, trying to destroy the wizarding world as he had in her universe?
Before she could ask more questions, she was ushered into the office and left alone.
“Oh good, you’re here,” Minerva said as she entered the office from a side door, walked to the desk, and sat down. She swished her wand, and a tea set floated toward them. “Tea?”
Lily nodded, wringing her hands in her lap. She waited while Minerva prepared the tea. When her cup, made with one sugar and a dash of milk—the way she liked it—floated to her, she took it and sipped. Closing her eyes, she savored the warmth spreading down her throat.
Minerva watched as the woman drank her tea. She was surprised to learn that the woman was Lily Evans, but not from this world. It sounded preposterous, but with magic, anything was possible. She had spoken with Dumbledore's portrait and discovered that the mirror in the room where Lily was found could transport someone from another universe. Unfortunately, the spell to achieve this had been lost long before the founders even dreamed of Hogwarts. The mirror, which once belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw, had sat in Hogwarts longer than anyone could guess. No one knew its whereabouts until now.
In the room, a couple of students had found that Lily had always been locked away. Minerva and Dumbledore concluded that the room with the mirror was merely a hidden space that only appeared when it decided to, much like the Room of Requirement. It was one of Rowena Ravenclaw's brilliant ideas. Minerva had gone to confirm if the mirror was where the students had found Lily. When she saw it for herself, she noticed the mirror resembled the Mirror of Erised, but it was silver and far older. Minerva decided it was best to lock the room in case of future issues.
"I went back to the room where you were found, and the mirror you mentioned was there, so I locked it up. I will arrange for it to be transported to the Department of Mysteries soon; it isn't safe sitting here in Hogwarts, especially with children around," she said.
Lily looked up and nodded. "Are there many children here?"
Minerva set down her teacup and noted that Lily's question was hopeful and sad. She wondered how dire the situation was in Lily's universe to prompt such a question. "We have about 800 children from 1st to 7th year here, plus an additional 8th year for students who lost a year of education last year due to the war. Usually, we would have around a thousand, but many chose not to return after last year," Minerva replied, frowning when she noticed Lily's look of surprise.
Lily exhaled, "So many magical children. In my universe, magical children are so sparse that we were lucky to have about ten or so. My group was the largest, with around thirty of us. But after that, the number declined."
Minerva inhaled sharply, afraid to speculate on why. "Perhaps you should tell me a little about your universe so we can better understand your perspective. From what I gather, it is quite different from this one."
Lily shook her head, set her teacup down, and clasped her hands tightly. She explained her world, detailing what it was like under the regime of Grindelwald and the Dark Lord. She spoke of how Dumbledore had created an underground resistance with the Order of the Phoenix and how Muggle-borns were hunted down and killed at the first sign of magic. The Muggle world fared no better, as it was under Axis rule, with Germany winning World War II, leading them to the brink of World War III. In short, her world was dystopian and engulfed in constant war on both the Muggle and Wizarding sides.
Finally, she told Minerva about her life—how she was rescued by the Prince-Snape family and taken underground, where she spent her entire life learning magic, becoming part of the Order, and fighting to survive. Her family had been killed just days after she was taken away.
She spoke of her friends, mentors, and husband, Severus Snape. She was one of the few in her group who was fortunate enough to have a child, only to discover that Lord Voldemort hunted her son down due to a prophecy and killed him when he was just a year old, along with her husband. In a fit of rage and sorrow, she killed Lord Voldemort. By that point, she was crying, explaining how she spent the next seventeen years on the run from the vengeful Grindelwald because she held the power to end him. She described how the underground resistance, the Order, dwindled to just a few members.
"We used to be two thousand strong, hiding and fighting, but in the last few years, after Dumbledore's death, our numbers grew small. There was a rat in our group who sold us out. Toward the end of last year, there were only four of us left." Lily hiccuped and wiped her tear-streaked face. "We decided to go after the mirror, as we had no hope of surviving. Grindelwald was too powerful. Sirius," she paused, her face contorting in pain as she recalled the fateful day Sirius was killed, "They found us. He told us to run, and we ran—" She gasped softly, suddenly hyperventilating and struggling to breathe.
Blinking, she accepted a vial from Minerva, who moved beside her, placing a comforting hand on her arm. Lily looked up at the older woman and took the vial. "Calming draught. You looked like you needed one," Minerva said gently.
Lily nodded, uncorked the vial, and drank it down. She sighed as her nerves calmed and her breathing normalized. After returning the vial, she took a handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "Bellatrix Black, his cousin, killed Sirius," Lily continued. "She was a horrid woman, deranged. Then Remus was next; it was a full moon, and he had transformed. He was so—" She paused, remembering Remus, who was grief-stricken over losing his mate. "Sirius was his mate." Minerva made a sound of understanding. "Greyback found Remus and us, ensuring we could escape." She shook her head, wiped her face, and blew her nose. "Remus didn't make it. But James and I managed to get away. We found refuge in the ruins of Hogwarts. In my world, it was a broken-down castle where nature had taken over. I never knew it was supposed to be a school until now." She glanced around the room. "It's beautiful here, so full of life."
Minerva smiled sadly. "We nearly lost the school a few months ago. I'll tell you about it, but first, please continue your story."
Lily gave a wet smile and nodded. "James and I were able to rest for a bit and kept searching for the mirror." She shuddered as she recalled the previous day. "They found us, but we finally managed to reach the mirror." Her chin trembled as tears threatened to spill again, and her hands shook as she stared at her feet. "James held them back while I cast the spell. Dumbledore discovered the ancient spell to unlock it and make it a portal. He would never have told us about the mirror if he hadn’t found that spell. He shared it with all of us in the resistance, in case we ever needed to escape." She closed her eyes for a moment. Minerva nodded and rubbed Lily's arm, offering support.
Lily calmed down and continued, "The portal opened, but James was too far away, holding the shield. Grindelwald was there. He—" She gasped and shook with fear. "James told me to go. Then Grindelwald killed him. I jumped through, and that was it. The next thing I knew, I woke up here in this universe."
Minerva nodded. "Two of our students," she said, shaking her head in exasperation. "Apparently, they were looking for a place to canoodle and found you."
"Oh," Lily blinked and then giggled. "That sounds so wonderful, to be carefree."
"I suppose," Minerva chuckled as she sat back. She waved her wand, vanished the cold tea from their cups, and poured them fresh. Handing Lily her cup, she took a sip from her own.
They sat silently, sipping their tea as they processed Lily's story. Unbeknownst to Lily, there was a weak version of Veritaserum in her tea. Minerva knew it was unethical, but she felt compelled to ensure the truth of the woman who was supposed to be dead but was sitting next to her. After hearing Lily's tale and knowing it was told truthfully, her heart went to the younger woman.
"As you know, our version of you led a different life," Minerva began. "But we lost Lily instead of Severus seventeen years ago."
Lily blinked, looked up at the older woman, and asked, "What happened to her?"
Minerva nodded sadly. "There are some similarities between your universe and this one, but also many differences. The Allies won both World War I and II, and we have had a fairly peaceful world here. Grindelwald was defeated by Albus Dumbledore in 1945, toward the end of World War II." She gestured to the office. "As you can see, Hogwarts has been a school for magical children for a thousand years and has remained strong. Lord Voldemort rose to power around 1970, leading us into the first Wizarding War that lasted ten years until..." She gave Lily a pointed look. "...until our Lily. He learned of a prophecy concerning her son, Harry Potter."
"Potter? I wasn't, I mean, she was married to Severus here?"
Minerva smirked. "That's the cover story.Yes, our Lily was married to Severus Snape, but only a few of us knew that. James Potter was the decoy husband, leading everyone to believe he was Harry's father and Harry's name was Harry Potter."
"Oh, I see."
"Yes. Albus sent them into hiding. Severus Snape was a spy on our side, working for Voldemort under pretense. James went with Lily and Harry into hiding to protect them. But Voldemort found them." Minerva shook her head. "James was killed first, and then Lily was killed while shielding Harry. Because of her sacrifice, Harry was able to survive the Killing Curse, which rebounded and destroyed Voldemort, effectively ending the first Wizarding War."
Lily's eyes widened. "Harry? He survived the Killing Curse?"
"Yes. He was sent to live with Petunia, but he didn't have a good childhood. That's a story for Harry to tell. Harry came to Hogwarts at eleven. It's a strange tale, and I think it’s best if Harry explains it to you."
Lily nodded. "But there was a battle a few months ago?"
"Ah yes, that would be the Second Wizarding War. Voldemort was resurrected when Harry was in his fourth year and had been gathering an army again. It came to a head in May, and Harry was able to defeat him once more. I am just thankful that the battle lasted only a day, and we emerged victorious. Hogwarts took some damage, but we were able to restore it."
Lily drank the last tea and placed the cup back on the table. "Well, it sounds a bit easier here than in my universe."
"After what you told me, I am inclined to agree. We will need to figure out how to fit you in here. It has been seventeen years since our Lily died."
"Is—" Lily started to ask about Severus, but she was interrupted by a ghost that appeared in front of her from the floor, causing her to gasp in fright. She scooted back in her chair.
"Bloody Baron!" Minerva admonished the ghost.
The man bowed and turned to Minerva. "Headmistress McGonagall, I have been sent to inform you that there is an altercation in the potions hallway between two students."
"Again?" Minerva asked with annoyance. The ghost bowed his head and swept away, vanishing into the wall. "I’d best see to it. I will be back shortly," Minerva said, and with a twirl of her robes, she left the office.
Lily stood up from her chair and walked around the room, looking at the trinkets. She then turned to the portraits and observed them, realizing they depicted headmasters and headmistresses throughout the ages. Some gave her appraising looks as she read their names on the plaques. She giggled as a few waved at her in a friendly manner while some turned their noses up. One, Phineas Black, scowled at her. Finally, she came to a familiar face, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," she softly read the plaque and looked up at the silvery-gray-robed man who resembled her, Albus Dumbledore. The only difference was that the man in the portrait had a longer beard, wore a gown, and appeared relaxed and happy. Her Dumbledore was a hardened man with a beard cut close to his face, almost always dressed in battle gear, and was more muscular.
Albus Dumbledore peered down at her with a sparkle in his eyes. "Intriguing! It is not every day that someone comes back from the dead."
Lily gasped. "I didn't realize portraits could speak!"
"We do. Don’t they exist in your universe?" Albus asked curiously.
Lily shook her head. "I wouldn't know. If we did have any, they must have been destroyed."
"It's a sad life to live, I suppose," Albus replied somberly. "Being constantly hunted and forced to hide. I thought we faced a rough time with two dark lords in a century, but from how you describe it, having two simultaneously in a dystopian world sounds much worse."
Lily shrugged. "It's all I've ever known."
"I'm curious—how did my other self die?" Albus asked.
Lily frowned. "He was killed in a battle. His curse weakened him, and Draco Malfoy was the one who killed him."
Albus nodded solemnly. "It's interesting to know one's fate in a different universe. I suppose in some universes, I would die a natural death. However, it seems there are similarities across different layers of the universes where I would die similarly."
"How would your death be similar here to mine?" Lily asked.
Albus raised an eyebrow. "Well, I was indeed cursed. I came across a cursed item that attacked me, leaving me with just a year to live and eating away at my hand." He held up his good right hand. "And Lord Voldemort tasked Draco Malfoy to kill me."
"Oh," Lily gasped. "So, Draco Malfoy killed you in this universe after all?" She wondered if the people who were her enemies in her world were also enemies here.
Albus shook his head and smiled. "No. Draco Malfoy is too pure of a soul; he couldn't follow through. In fact, he was fortunate to have found love and support from his wife to help him. I asked someone else to kill me instead, to spare the young man from this terrible fate."
"Oh, so Draco Malfoy is a good person here then?" Lily asked, intrigued. She was surprised to learn that the young man was a good person in this universe. The one she knew was terrible, much like his aunt—vicious and bloodthirsty.
Albus nodded. "Yes." He held up a finger and leaned closer to the portrait, trying to look at Lily more closely. "You mentioned that the other Albus found the lost incantation to the mirror," Lily nodded. "Does it allow you to control where to go?"
Lily frowned. "No, I don't think so. My Albus said the mirror will only send me to a place where I do not exist or no longer exist. Something about souls overlapping and causing a rift?"
Albus nodded and sat back in his chair. "That makes sense. Universes are like layers stacked upon each other; the timeline is linear, but the soul remains one and only across all layers, moving along the timeline. It bends and shifts but remains singular. Magic, as a mysterious force, allows the soul to travel to another layer, but not to a place where it can exist at the same time as itself. That would cause chaos. That's why we must be careful when playing with time; we cannot allow ourselves to meet our other selves when traveling in time."
Lily frowned, trying to grasp Albus's explanation. "So, if I met myself, it would cause problems because we share the same soul?"
"Precisely. You would either be ripping yourself apart or folding over. I imagine that would be quite painful."
"Oh," Lily scrunched her face in concern.
"Well, since your other self has been dead for a long time in this universe, it is safe for you to be here. I believe magic has determined this is the best universe for you to exist in," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. "Right at home with the Malfoy family."
Lily's eyes widened. "The Malfoys? Aren't they pureblood supremacists here?" she asked.
Albus winked, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes, seemingly falling asleep. Lily gazed at the enigmatic man. Her Albus and this Albus were so different yet alike, which was frustrating at times.
"Minerva, I need to order the ingredients for the hospital wing potions," Lily gasped as she heard a deep, dulcet tone. She turned to see a tall man in a black robe step into the office, staring wide-eyed.